Chapter 23: Quarterdeck

NSS Borman, October 8, 2141
Quarterdeck

“How the hell did you do that? “ Demanded Captain Reisman. “How the hell did the two of you get Mars, Luna, and the Western Alliance working together?”

“It’s just two fighter squadrons, there may be more later, we don’t know,” said Alan as he sniffed his drink. It smelled like the trees on Guam. Reisman had offered Alan and Hilde a squeeze bottle, the usual method of drinking in space. A quick sip told Hilde what this drink was.

“I haven’t had a gin and tonic in ages. This is wonderful, thank you,” said Hilde. As for Alan, he didn’t drink, so he did not know what was in his bottle. In fact, he was too young to drink on Mars or Earth, but he was a commander of men and women training to go into battle. A sip of gin wasn’t going to kill anybody. “Where to now?” asked Hilde.

Captain Reisman looked at a clipboard that was hanging magnetically on a wall. “Basic command flying. Two ship, four ship, eight ship, twelve ship formations and tactics. We’ll need a big, open piece of space with a rock or two to avoid, so we’ll head for L5.”

L5 was a Lagrange point on Mars’ orbit, approximately 60° behind Mars. Occasionally, an asteroid will be caught in Lagrange 5 and they’re known as a “Trojan Moon.” All of Mars’ trojan moons were known and mapped and were not a challenge. “What do you want to do after that Mister Scarlett, junior squadron commander?”

“Asteroid belt,” said Alan. His words were slurring, and he was feeling dizzy. Did Captain Reisman drug his drink? He just took a single sip from his drink, and Reisman handed him a second drink. He closed the lid and put his first drink in his pocket and took very tiny sips from the second drink. He loved the lime/juniper flavor of the drink, but his spinning head told him it was dangerous and the second drink went in a different pocket.

“Why the asteroid belt?”

His eyelids felt heavy, but he said, “Follow th’ leader. Formation flying in asteroid fields, great training for truck drivers, even better for fighter drivers.”

“Truck drivers?” asked Captain Reisman.

“He used to drive truck,” said Hilde. “He said it was a twenty-five ton Thornycroft-Intrall. Their training was racing through Martian canyons.”

“Do you still play with your toy robot Mister Scarlett?” asked Captain Reisman. He produced Noxie and held Noxie’s face close to Alan’s face. “I used to have a Noxie too, I couldn’t get it to do a damn thing.”

Alan wasn’t sure if he couldn’t answer or he just didn’t want to. He knew that Captain Reisman was taunting him for some reason, but he didn’t care. How did he get Noxie? All he knew was that he was more relaxed than he’s been in a long time ... the morning he met Hilde Marks. That was such a sweet awakening ... to wake up next to a beautiful woman that didn’t mind a young man’s exploring fingers. He opened his eyes a little and there was his old pal Noxie. “Noxie, record,” whispered Alan. He smiled because it was a standing rule to focus on Hilde. He gets amazing photos and video of Hilde from Noxie...

The next thing that he remembered was Hilde screaming, “NO! I’M MARRIED!” Alan opened his eyes and even though his vision was blurry, he could see that Captain Reisman had Hilde pinned in a corner and was ripping her uniform open. He struggled, but found himself trapped in his seat. The Velcro seat belt was closed over his arms, pinning them to his lap. He pulled an arm free and tore open the Velcro...

Hilde was trying to push Reisman away from her, but he closed his hands around her wrists and had her pinned in a corner. He then grasped both of her wrists with one large hand and he pawed at her exposed breasts with the other. “Sharing these beauties with a schoolboy and not your captain? That’s possibly a violation of ... awwk!”

Fighting the grogginess in his head, Alan floated up behind Reisman and put a good solid choke hold on him. He was angry enough to kill his captain. Alan braced his feet on the wall on either side of Hilde and shoved, launching him and Garrett Reisman away from a shocked Hilde. “Noxie, transmit recent data, Mailing List One ... ooof!” They slammed headfirst into Reisman’s desk. The Captain worked his way free from Alan’s grip and slapped the intercom on his desk.

“SECURITY! I’M BEING ATTACKED!”

Hilde tried to pull herself together, but he ... she couldn’t believe she was attacked by a fellow officer. She heard a whirring and saw Alan’s toy, his good luck charm, Noxie. The little robot was using its cooling fans to propel itself and it was hovering in front of Hilde, looking at her as if it was concerned for her. “Noxie, go home.” The little robot that looked like it was built out of child’s building blocks lowered to the ground and with its little Velcro feet walked to the door and waited patiently. Noxie didn’t wait long. Four burly marines charged into the room and unnoticed, the little 1.5 foot tall robot left with its funny, stiff-legged gait and a quiet rip-rip-rip of its Velcro covered feet.

“Grab them!” shouted Captain Reisman. Before Alan could realize what was happening, a marine had him in a hammerlock hold. He looked over and saw that they were putting hand cuffs on Hilde. With her arms bound behind her, her exposed boobs were on full display.

“Let her cover up!” demanded Alan.

“Shut up rocker.” Rocker was the slang term that Marines used for fighter crew members. It’s short for Rocket Man, and the marines think it’s an insult. Even in the 22nd Century, Marines aren’t hired for their brain power.

“That’s my wife, Leatherface,” shouted Alan.

“That’s Leatherneck,” snapped a marine.

“Not with your ugly mug ... Let her cover up!”

The Marine glared at Alan. “Do you think you’re funny Rocker?”

Alan returned his glare and snarled, “If my dog had a face like yours I’d shave his ass and make him walk backwards.” Alan got an elbow in the gut for that, but the other three marines started laughing and one re-cuffed Hilde’s hands in front so she could hold her uniform closed.

Soon they were locked in the brig, a white room divided into three cells whose walls were clear plexiglass. The light was painfully bright and not conducive to napping. “Ten years in the navy and I’ve never been in the brig,” groaned Hilde from her cell. “I’ve never seen the brig.”

“I always thought it would be dark, and dank,” said Alan. “I’m sorry for what happened, I should have known better but I didn’t realize how powerful alcohol was...”

“I didn’t realize you were such a lightweight, I would have suggested fruit juice,” said Hilde, trying to laugh. “It’s not your fault, it was all Reisman.” Their cells were side by side, divided only by a wall of Plexiglass with vents cut into the walls.